The Hut in the Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Hut in the Forest |
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Arthur Rackham, 1917.
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| Folk tale | |
| Name | The Hut in the Forest |
| Also known as | The Hut in the Wood |
| Data | |
| Aarne–Thompson grouping | ATU 431 |
| Country | Germany |
| Published in | Grimm's Fairy Tales |
The Hut in the Forest (also known as The Hut in the Wood) is a classic German fairy tale. It was collected by the famous Brothers Grimm and is story number 169 in their collection. This tale also appeared in The Pink Fairy Book in 1897, put together by Andrew Lang. It's known as Aarne-Thompson type 431, which is a way to classify different folk tales based on their plot.
Contents
What Happens in The Hut in the Forest?
This fairy tale tells the story of three sisters and their adventures in a magical forest. It teaches us about kindness, especially towards animals.
The First Two Daughters' Journey
A woodcutter asked his oldest daughter to bring him his dinner in the forest. She got lost and, as night fell, found a small house. Inside, she met an old, gray-haired man and his animals: a hen, a cock, and a brindled cow. She asked if she could stay the night. The old man asked his animals, and they replied "Duks." This meant she could stay.
The man told her to cook supper. She cooked for herself and the old man. Then, she asked for a bed. He showed her to an upstairs room where she went to sleep. But during the night, the old man opened a secret trapdoor. This sent her down into a cellar. The very next day, the same thing happened to the woodcutter's second daughter. She also got lost, found the hut, and ended up in the cellar.
The Youngest Daughter's Kindness
On the third day, the youngest daughter went to bring her father dinner. She also got lost and found the same hut. Unlike her sisters, she was very kind to the animals. She gently petted the hen, the cock, and the cow.
When it was time for supper, she cooked for the old man and herself. But she didn't forget the animals! She made sure to get barley for the birds and hay for the cow. After eating, she went upstairs to sleep. Around midnight, she heard a loud noise, like the house was breaking apart. However, the noise stopped, and she went back to sleep.
A Royal Discovery
When the youngest daughter woke up in the morning, she was no longer in a simple hut. She was in a beautiful palace! The old man was gone, and instead, a handsome king's son stood before her. He explained that he and three of his helpers had been under a spell. A wicked witch had turned him into an old man. The spell would only break when a woman arrived who was kind not only to people but also to animals.
The king's son then invited her parents to the wedding. As for her two older sisters, he made them servants to a charcoal burner. They had to work there until they learned to be kind and not leave poor animals hungry. This shows that being kind to all living things is very important.
